A Lesson in Proper Horsemanship.

Ok, so maybe its time for me to admit that I am a bit accident prone. Maybe…

To tell this story properly, I have to clue you in on some herd dynamics. Years ago, my friend, Beverly, asked me to help place a mare of hers in a good home. The mare, whom she called Raven, was easy to place…well trained, great with any level rider. I gave her to a family with four young boys, 189 acres and all went well for a long time. Her new family decided to call her "THE BLACK" as they were in the middle of the Black Stallion series when Raven first set hoof in their pasture. The family moved to a very small farm and their horses began to fall off dramtically.

Remember Coal? He was theirs as well. While he recuperated here , the family was suppose to be feeding their other horses as prescribed. They weren't. Raven came back during last winter. She was VERY thin. She is better now and waiting to go home to a new family.

Anyway, Raven is quite a character. During storms, she takes COMPLETE charge of the herd and physically determines where every other horse will stand until the storm is over. Its always the same, too. Some horses have to stand in the bigger barn, some in the small barn and two horses have to stand out in the rain. On Wednesday, April 27, I made a very big mistake. A pretty vicious storm (with hail, lightning and possible tornados) was moving rapdily into our area. I was busy trying to get the feed set and the mares inside before it hit. I didn't realize that Raven had already put them in "storm status formation" and started putting the mares in stalls. I started past her with Blue Viking, (who has to stay out in the rain). I even thought, "geez, I hope Raven doesn't cause any trouble." but went on by anyway.

Just as I crossed the threshold into the small barn leading Blue…Raven LUNGED at Blue, teeth reaching for Blue's flank. Blue RAN OVER top of me, slamming me to the ground, hooves just missing my head. Horses already standing in the arn scrambled all around me and leapt over me. Man, it hurt. My entire left side was on fire but my elbow, hip and knee were the worst.

I cussed, screamed, cried and fumed as I put everyone in their stalls. I yelled at Raven, "WHO THE HECK (thats not what I really said) is going to feed your fat butt if I get hurt?"

Well, Thursday, I had two tour groups scheduled. No rest, no nursing my badly bruised body. After a night of agony, I went to the doctor's. MY doc was out of town so I had to see a partner. They took X-Rays…marveled at all the old injuries that could be seen clearly on the films and told me I did not have any new fractures.

For a week, my elbow hurt beyond words. I felt like such a wimp…I kept thinking, "Its only bruised, you big baby, stop whining." So, I kept working like normal. Cleaning stalls at home, wrestling with foals at work, trying to unload heavy bags of horse feed…and, at times, disappearing to a private area, actually crying because because my darn arm hurt so much.

The Doctor called on Friday to ask I how I was…I told him my arm hurt VERY MUCH. He then said that he and he radiologist were looking at my films and GUESS WHAT! My elbow is fractured! What the Doc thought was an old injury, was actually brand new! I have to keep it wrapped, guard against anything banging it or yanking it and go back for another X-Ray in a couple weeks to be sure it is healing correctly.